


Violet Love Alternate

by InvaderMAK



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Hollow Knight OC - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:34:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29084718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InvaderMAK/pseuds/InvaderMAK
Summary: Little princess Violet flees her once safe home, and happens upon The Collector.
Kudos: 2





	Violet Love Alternate

Little Violet, daughter of the White Lady and Pale King, fled her home in the gardens whilst it was being invaded by sickly mantises. As the fierce knight Dryya told her, she ran as fast and as far as she could, so far, in fact, that she ended up on the other side of the kingdom.

Her panicked run left her tired and thirsty, and she needed a place to hide. She spotted a tower up ahead, and climbed towards it. Violet happened upon a locked door, and, remembering the mysterious key she had found in her mother's gardens at a young age, tested it in the lock. The key turned with ease! Violet ran inside, finally safe from the horrible mantises.

But something was wrong. Not only was she now feeling exhausted and was hardly able to breathe, but her face stung with pain. She wasn't very careful while running through the kingdom - she realizes that now. The pain and exhaustion is almost unbearable for the young princess. She sobs, and within moments, her vision fades to black. 

The child awakens among dark purple hues and the soft glow of lumaflies. Violet stands up, holding a hand against her head dizzily. Just as she moved forward, she smacked into a wall and fell back with a shout of alarm. She looks up at the invisible wall, before touching it. The wall surrounds her. It doesn't take too long for Violet to realize where she is: trapped inside of a glass prison.

Just outside of her confinement resides more just like hers, holding many other bugs, some of them glowing an eerie orange, like the mantises that intruded on her home. They all look weak, which fills Violet with terror. Just as she turned around, she was met with the stare of two white spheres. Violet screams, losing her footing and falling again. The shadowy creature before her shrieks in return, but seems to immediately calm down.

 **"Alive...you're alive,"** it declares, **"Oh, thank goodness you're okay!"**

"Why did you capture me," Violet asks, fear present in her tone. "W-why am I in this glass cage? Who are you?"

**"Oh, don't you worry, love, I won't hurt you, no, not at all...in truth, I saved you!"**

"Saved me? How?"

**"Poor thing, you had stopped moving upon your arrival...I thought you were gone at first, but now you're okay!"** The creature laughs happily. 

"Oh...but why the cage?"

**"It's to keep you safe, little one! All happy and safe, and you won't be wandering off towards trouble again, no no!"**

"I think they're gone now...the bad guys, I mean. Can you help me out of here so I can go back home?"

The creature laughs again. **"Oh, you won't be leaving, sweetie! It's so much safer here!"**

"But...but I want my mother! She's not here, is she?"

 **"Nope, but that's okay, dear! Everything will be perfect here, just...perfect..."** It clasps its hands together sweetly.

"No! I don't wanna stay here, I wanna go home!"

**"Ahahahaha! _This_ is your home now, darling, with me! All happy and safe from harm! Oh, you are such a cute little thing, yes you are~!"**

"Let me go!!"

Violet scrambles inside of the jar, causing it to rock back and forth. This makes the creature laugh in amusement. 

**"Oh no no, you won't be leaving anytime soon, my love...you are staying here...forever safe from the sickness..."**

"W-what are you talking about??"

**"You don't know? Ohoho, she doesn't know! You poor thing...the sickness can't reach you in there! You are safe from harm, forever and ever!"**

"Let me go, I want my mother!!!"

It just stares at her, as though mesmerized by her beauty. It giggles in a strange, yet soft and playful manner. Soon, Violet begins to weep helplessly.

**"Ah-! No no, love, don't- please don't cry..!"**

"I wanna go home," Violet sniffles.

**"Shhh...it's okay, sweetie..."**

"No, it's not...don't call me that, I don't even know you!"

**"...I would tell you, if only I had a name...all I know is that I must protect you, always."**

"Just...just leave me alone...please, go..."

The shadowy creature looks offended. It backs away a bit, then turns and hops away.

Violet continues to cry, wanting nothing more than for someone to come to her rescue. She should not have run off so far from home, but what else was she supposed to do? The little princess curls up inside her confinement, whimpering.

"Somebody please help me..."

Within seconds, her plea is answered.

**"I'll help you, love."**

Violet gasps. The shadow has returned with some food for her.

 **"I promise that I won't hurt you,"** it says.

The creature squeezes a bit of the food through the holes in the lid of the jar. Violet looks at the crumbs curiously. She knows very well that she must never accept food from strangers. Violet politely declines, despite her growling stomach.

**"...I'll give you anything you want, love, anything...just ask."**

"I want my mother and I want you to let me go!"

**"...I can't do that."**

"Why not!?"

**"...Because...I will be ever so lonely again..."**

Violet's heart sinks. Anger and fear floods through her. With a frown, she curtly says, "They'll find you...they'll take me home, and you'll be sent to--"

The creature thrusts its head back and lets out a psychotic cackle.

**"They'll never find us here, love...never."**

This fills Violet with terror.

"Y-yes they will..."

**"No no, love...hoohoohoo!"**

"Mother will find me, and you'll be sorry!"

**"Oh, do let me know when this happens, dear, ahaha-! I will let you go when she finds us, but until then, you stay here, with me, safe and sound."**

"...F-fine...okay."

The shadow exclaims with joy. It hugs the jar lovingly, making Violet's chitin crawl.

"You promise to let me go when they get here?"

**"I promise, my dear..."**

"It's...Violet."

 **"Violet...what a pretty name for a pretty girl like you..."** The creature seems to smile, despite its lack of a mouth.

"...And...you? What do I call you?"

**"....Your friend."**

It lets out another giggle.

Violet doesn't know what else to do. She lays down on her side, shivering against the cold, glass sphere. Surely someone will come looking for her...but she's so far away from home. Violet shuts her eyes, hoping her savior will arrive soon. 

~~~

A day has passed. Violet is parched and famished. She still doesn't trust her kidnapper, so she will stay hungry. Said kidnapper takes notice in the growling of her empty stomach.

 **"I'm hearing funny noises from your belly, love,"** the stranger remarks with the slightest hint of amusement. **"Why haven't you eaten yet?"**

"I don't want it..." Violet mumbles.

Its expression turns into one of concern. **"...Love, I don't want you getting sick. You must eat something..."**

"...I don't wanna...."

**"But sweetie, you look so weak and helpless!"**

"You captured me," Violet says a bit sourly.

The shadow looks worried. It hops away.

Violet holds her hands against her rumbling stomach. It almost hurts now, and she feels like most of her energy has been depleted. Her mouth is dry with dehydration. Oh what she would give to have just a drop of water...

The creature soon returns with a bright blue insect squirming in its grasp.

"What is that," Violet asks.

But the shadow doesn't respond. It twists the lid off of Violet's confinement, and holds the blue creature above her head. Then it squishes it in its fist, dripping blood all over her. It immediately shuts the jar, twisting the lid back on.

"Ew, what was that for!?!"

**"Have yourself a drink, little one!"**

At first, Violet feels absolutely disgusted by the thought. She gags, only for some of the blue blood to find its way into her mouth. Finding that it tastes sweet and refreshing against her taste buds, she soon begins to lick up the blood, her need for fluid intake conquering her logical thinking.

"Oh, wow...what is this?"

**"Dunno the name. Father didn't approve though..."**

"Oh...it's not...bad, is it?"

**"No no, it's very good! It heals too!"**

Violet notices her body had gained a protective blue layer. It looks a bit fragile though. What could be so bad about this blue potion? She is too exhausted to ask the creature for herself. Besides, another question is on her mind.

"...Why are you doing this..?"

**"Hm?"**

"Why are you...keeping me here? Do you really just want to protect me?"

**"Yes, more than anything, love."**

"But....I don't feel safe."

**"You _should_ feel safe...I'm doing this for you. All for you...my love."**

"...I want my mother..."

**"...You promised."**

"What?"

**"You promised you'd stay until they came back."**

"I..." 

She sighs. "I did...but...how long until they do come back?"

**"I don't know, sweetie, but until then...you're mine."**

The shadow hugs Violet's confinement gently. **"All...mine.... hahahaha..!"**

"...Why must you be so scary..?"

**"Oh, love, I'm not trying to scare you..."**

"Then stop scaring me! Let me go!"

The creature just laughs. **"It can't...it can't, it can't..!"**

"Why not!?"

**"Alone...alone for so long...no one to speak to, no one to hear its cries, no one! All alone...no one to love me...no one.**

**"And now you're here! You're special, and I don't ever want to lose you! Haha! Ahahaha! Oh, you are so beautiful..."**

"Leave me alone..." 

**"Don't be so grumpy, love! Hahaha! You're the cutest little thing I've seen in a long time!"**

"Go away!!"

 **"...Heh...hehehehaha..! I won't be leaving you, my love! Never, never! You're not safe all by yourself! You're all I have left, and I won't ever give you up, ever!"** It laughs yet again.

Violet cries for help, which the creature does not even try to stop. It proceeds to laugh as Violet screams. She continues this until her throat hurts. By then, the shadow quiets down as well.

**"...I won't ever hurt you, my love...never."**

Violet whimpers.

**"I want you to understand that. I won't let anyone find you...and I won't hurt you...he won't hurt you, no one will ever bring harm to you again..."**

"No one has ever hurt me..."

**"No one..? Is that so, love?"**

"My name's Violet!"

**"Violet...no one has ever hurt you..? Ever?"**

Violet is silent for a moment.

"...Father was never around...and...I don't know if he ever cared about me..."

**"Oh, Violet...hehehe...perhaps we aren't so different after all..."**

"I don't even know what you are..."

**"Neither do I, my love, neither do I..."**

"You don't..?"

**"Hahahaha...! Nope! Not anymore!"**

"Um...what is it that you do..?"

**"...Collect....protect....hah..."**

"...You're a collector?"

**"Yes...yes, my love, exactly."**

"...A collector..."

The Collector looks at Violet with an invisible, somewhat nervous grin.

"...How old are you?"

**"Hehe...I do not know that either, love."**

"Well...you look and sound like an adult..."

**"It has lost count of the days since it fled that place...there was no home there...only disappointed eyes...**

**"...Father...said I was useless...but I'll prove you wrong, dear father, oh how I will...hahahaha...and you'll take me back then, won't you..? Wouldn't you??"**

"I-I don't understand. What did he want you to do..?"

**"...Protect..."**

"Protect what- or who?"

**"...Everyone."**

"Everyone? But that- that's much too hard for one person!"

**"Maybe...but I promise to protect you. I will not fail you again, father...never..."**

The Collector giggles.

 **"N-never, never! Ahahahaha!"** The construct proceeds to laugh and cackle madly, as though suddenly losing control of itself.

Violet shrinks back against the glass of her confinement. The shadow's horrible laughter turns her blood ice cold. How much longer will she have to stay with this creature until she is rescued? _Will_ she be rescued?

The Collector's laughter finally trails off. **"...Oh, if only you would heal completely, my love..."**

"W-what? What do you mean..?"

**"The crack in your shell. You didn't know?"**

Violet feels her shell. To her shock and horror, she finds a huge crack along the left side of her face. Her mother had told her that such a thing can be fatal. Terror floods through her.

"A-am I...going to die..?"

 **"Ah-? No! No no no, my love, no, you won't die!"** The Collector leans its face closer to the jar, before quietly adding, **"I won't let you..."**

"You...won't let me die..?"

 **"I won't,"** the shadow whispers.

Violet does not know how to respond. She lays her head against the cold wall of her prison. Her stomach growls from hunger. For almost two days now, she has neglected fulfilling her own personal needs.

**"...You must eat something, love..."**

"I don't want anything," she lies.

**"You're only hurting yourself, sweetie...come on...you can trust me..."**

"Can I..? Can I really trust you?"

**"I promise. I would never, ever hurt you...not in a million years."**

Violet looks down at the dried up remains of the wasted bits of food The Collector had given to her the day before. She kicks the crumbs to the sides of her confinement.

 **"Please...please let me help you,"** The Collector begs. **"Please..."**

The dark figure stares at Violet with pleading eyes. It looks...afraid, and as though it is about to weep. Staring into those ghostly eyes alone are enough to tell the little princess that this strange construct isn't lying, and that it truly is trying to help her.

Mustering up the courage, she asks, "Do you...have any more..?"

The Collector seems to smile. It hops away.

Violet clutches her starved belly. It still aches and continues to complain. She finally notices how weak and tired she is feeling. How is she still awake? She was just about to drift off to sleep when The Collector returned with more food.

 **"Here you are, my darling,"** Collector says happily, before stuffing the crumbs through the holes in the lid of the jar.

Violet hesitates, before quickly eating the crumbs. They are a little bland, but not terrible. Within seconds, she's feeling a bit better. "Thank you," she says. 

**"You're welcome, sweetie love."**

"Violet..." 

The little princess yawns.

 **"Sleepy again, my darling? Hahaha!"** The Collector seems to smile in amusement. 

"Mm-hm..." she nods slowly. 

**"Sweet dreams, my love. Don't let the orange bite..."**

"I won't..." she yawns again, lying down. "I hope I'm found soon..."

**"No one will find you here, love."**

"That's not true," she whispers. "Not true. They'll find...me..."

Before she knew it, Violet had drifted off to sleep.

~~~

_A faint light approaches…_

_A promising light..._

_"Violet…_

_"Violet…_

_"I can get you out of here…_

_"Just follow me..."_

_Silvery white fur…_

_An orange light…_

_A calming light..._

_Before the child could join,_

_The light is swallowed whole by darkness._

**_"Don't let the orange bite…_ **

**_"Don't listen...a liar…_ **

**_"Only there to hurt you…_ **

**_"Stay with me, love…_ **

**_"Where it is safe…_ **

**_"Where no one will ever find you…_ **

**_"Where no one will ever hurt you..."_ **

_The shadow approaches the child,_

_wrapping its arms around her lovingly._

_**"Out there, there are only monsters…** _

**_"I'm no monster…_ **

**_"I'm your friend…_ **

**_"I will keep you safe…_ **

**_"Forever..."_ **

_The darkness is cold, yet calming…_

_Those eyes, a beautiful contrast..._

_She knows she cannot escape..._

_It will not be that easy…_

_She just shuts her eyes…_

_Giving into the loving embrace…_

"...M..mother..."

 **"Ah-?"** The Collector looks over its shoulder upon hearing Violet mutter in her sleep.

"...Where are you..?"

**"Are you okay, my love..?"**

Violet shivers. "C-cold..."

The shadow stops tending to another one of its captures. It hops away, leaving Violet alone. She turns over in her sleep, mumbling. 

By the time The Collector returns with a tattered curtain, Violet has just begun to awaken. She gasps when the construct opens her confinement.

"W-what are you--"

 **"It's okay..."** The Collector lays the torn fabric over her shivering body.

"...T-thank you..."

The shadow grabs the lid and begins to twist it on again.

"W-wait..!"

It stops, glancing at her.

"...Can you leave it open, please..?"

The Collector looks away, not knowing what to do.

"Please..? I had a bad dream..."

**"...Oh, love...you poor thing..."**

The figure takes off the lid again, reaches its arms into the jar, and picks up Violet.

"Wait--"

Before she knew it, The Collector was holding her over its shoulder, hugging her.

**"Don't be afraid, little Violet..."**

"...You're so cold..."

**"Shh...shoosh, my love..."**

Violet hesitantly hugs back. Its body feels soft and a little squishy, similar to a pillow. She rests her head against its shoulder, tiredness flooding through her again.

"I miss my mother..."

The Collector pats her back gently, remaining silent. Violet yawns.

**"I'll keep you safe, dear...I promise..."**

"...Okay..."

Her eyes close, and she falls asleep again.

The construct chuckles softly. It sits down on the cold floor. Before long, it drifts off to sleep as well, still holding the little princess.

~~~

The first thing Violet sees when she awakens is the shadow staring at her. She is silent for a few seconds longer (needing only so long to comprehend what she was looking at) before she gasps in surprise and fear. Seconds after that, she realizes that the creature isn't looking at her, but rather at the key around her neck.

 **"How did you find it..?"** The Collector asks.

"W-what...the key?"

**"Yes."**

"I-I...I found it near my home, in the gardens," she replies, shaking. "Is...is it yours?"

**"No...no, it isn't...it's his..."**

"Who...your father?"

**"Nuh-uh...it belonged to my beloved dearie."**

"...And they were a boy?"

**"Yes, I believe so..."**

"...But...you're a boy...aren't you?"

**"...I am neither son nor daughter...but I've acquired his way of speaking..."**

"That doesn't make any sense..."

The Collector holds the key in its hands, studying it.

**"...Did you see him..?"**

"I um..."

**"Did you?"**

"...Um...I think so..."

 **"You saw him?"** Its eyes light up with hope. **"What did he say? Did he say anything regarding me?"**

"Actually, um...I...I found it in the hands of a dead bug..."

The shadow's expression fell. 

**"O-oh...he...h-he was dead..?"**

"I remember...he was very cold and dirty...he had...black stuff around his eyes and mouth...I didn't know what it was at first, but now I..."

Violet tries to crawl away, her back to the floor, but The Collector still holds the key.

**"...No...n-no, no...it can't be...he can't be gone...no, no..."**

It chuckles. Before long, it is laughing. The laughter seems to be out of disbelief, but soon, it grows hysterical. Collector thrusts its head back, cackling, yet there are tears in its eyes. Its slick, black body begins to drip like paint. Violet shrinks back in terror, yet something else inside tells her to stay, and that the figure before her needs her help. 

**"Hehe...hehehe hahaha...my love...why...why did you have to change..? Why, why..? You- you made me do it! You made me! Haha! Ahahahaha!!"**

"Hey..."

 **"All I wanted...all I ever wanted was to be loved...all I did was try to save him...I never meant to hurt him..! N-never! I failed again..."** The Collector whimpers, trembling.

"Hey, wait a second..."

**"No...it can't be...tell me it isn't so! He can't be gone, he can't be!!"**

"I'm sorry, he...he wasn't moving at all, and he--"

**"No, NO!!!"**

Violet lets out a startled yelp. The Collector falls silent. Then it breaks down into a helpless sob. It remains still, dripping with the very substance that makes up its body, its head held in its hands.

Violet's fear subsides only partially. Suddenly, this monster does not seem as scary as before…

"Hey..." She slowly approaches The Collector. "It...it's okay..."

**"No..."**

"He...he's happier now..."

The construct sniffles, looking over at Violet.

"Please don't cry..."

**"You....you're not afraid..?"**

"You're sad. I can't be scared of someone who's sad. Please don't be sad..."

The Collector sniffles again. **"How can I resist..? My love is gone..."**

Violet realizes her error. "...It...it's okay to be sad...I guess…"

**"...You're being kind...when all I've done to you is scare you...why?"**

"Because...because I..."

She doesn't know how to respond. 

The two remain silent for a moment.

**"...Y-you'll stay...won't you..? You won't leave...and you won't change like he did...right?"**

"You said you'd let me go when they--"

**"No one is going to find us here...no one ever does...no one ever...comes looking..."**

"But..."

**"Please...please stay...I don't want to be left alone again...not again...never."**

"...I'm...so confused..."

**"Please stay, my love..."**

"But I don't belong here...I belong back home in my mother's gardens-"

That is when she remembers.

"...where the bad guys were..."

Is it safe to go back home at all?

 **"...You're much safer here,"** the Collector says, as if it read her thoughts, **"safe from everything…"**

"'Everything?' What do you-"

 **"The sickness,"** the construct adds.

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

**"...Orange...rots the mind, making my little lovelies mindless, weak, with no intelligence whatsoever...like they're gone, but moving..."**

"You mean...undead?"

**"Yes...it's oh so frightening...makes me feel that I cannot help them...that I cannot save them...I don't know how or why it happens, or where it comes from...it pains me so."**

"How come you haven't caught it?"

**"I...I don't know...perhaps I am immune…? Hehehe...imagine that..."**

"...Am I immune..?"

**"...I don't think so, love..."**

"...I just want things to be like they were before the mantises attacked...I want my mother...I want Dryya..." Violet sniffles, feeling hopeless again. "I'm so scared..."

**"Oh, oh, sweetie..."**

The Collector wraps its arms around Violet reassuringly.

**"It's okay...I'll protect you..."**

"...Thank you...Collector."

The construct is surprised to hear Violet give it a name. Then it chuckles, continuing to hug the child. Before long, the unexpected happens. The child hugs back.

**"Y-you're not...afraid?"**

"You really aren't that scary..."

**"...Heh...haha...hahahaha!"**

The Collector continues to laugh out of relief. For the first time in a very long time, someone isn't afraid of it. It can hardly believe such a thing could be happening. The construct rests its head upon the top of Violet's. 

**"I'll keep you safe from harm, my little Violet love...nothing will ever hurt you again..."**

"I don't wanna catch the sickness...it sounds so scary..."

**"Stay with me...I won't let anything bad happen to you."**

"O-okay...I'm still scared of what could be outside..."

**"Nothing ever finds me here...and they won't find you."**

Violet nods in understanding, tears trickling down her face.

"...So...I'm not going back, am I..?"

The Collector looks at her with an unreadable expression.

"What about my mother? I wanna see that she's okay..."

**"I...I'll take you to see your mother..."**

"Y-you promise?"

The Collector is hesitant to reply.

**"...Promise."**

She could hardly believe her ears. "T-thank you..."

**"You're welcome...sweet little Violet."**

Violet finds herself hugging the Collector once again. It seems like less of a stranger now. She is less scared of it, and more curious of who or what it truly is. Would it really never hurt her? 

**Author's Note:**

> I have had this in the back burner for...a good handful of months. The main reason I rewrote the first chapter is because I didn't want Violet's friendship with the collector to feel so forced.


End file.
